Composition notebooks are a must-have for all students, academics, writers, journalists, notetakers, and more.

Basically, if you put pen to paper often, for any reason, a composition notebook will be perfect for you.

There are so many options available for you when it comes to choosing a composition notebook, so to help you make the right decision we have decided to compile a list of five of our absolute favorites.

Buying a composition notebook (or a whole pack of them) doesn’t have to be stressful.

They are a super accessible notebook, famed for their simplicity due to just being full of pages and pages of ruled or lined sheets.

That being said, there are a few things you may wish to consider before purchasing your composition notebook, for example, the size of the notebook, the color choice, how wide the lines are, and even if you want lines or would rather blank or grids.

For this reason, we have also included a short Buyers’ Guide to explain what sort of features you should keep in mind. 

Best Ever Composition Notebook
…our Quick Pick

Are you in a rush to get your composition notebook right away?

Look no further. The Wide Ruled Composition Notebook from Amazonbasics is just what you need.

We love this because:

  • It comes in a handy pack of 4 so that you can easily stock up for each class or project you have in mind 
  • There is a good selection of colors and even comes with a pretty marble pattern. If these are not your kind of style, plain black is also available. You can easily decorate them yourself with stickers, too. 
  • They are wide ruled to ensure there is a lot of space for you to write neatly and legibly. 
  • They are bound with thread, and the front and back covers are made from strong cardstock material. 
  • The back of the book has a handy information section with conversion tables and weights. The front of the book has an area for you to write your class schedule or timetable on it. 

The Best Composition Notebooks

1. AmazonBasics Wide Ruled Composition Notebook

The first product that we just had to tell you about is AmazonBasics Wide Ruled Composition Notebook.

This set of notebooks includes 4 in total, all in a variety of colors with a marbled design.

If patterns and colors aren’t your things, you can also get plain black, block colors, or black marble.

They are super spacious to write in, due to being specifically designed with wide lines.  Each notebook has 100 sheets of paper with 56gsm.

The pages are all bound with sewn binding to keep everything intact and attached safely to the front and back covers.

Talking of the covers, the material of them is cardstock, giving you a firm surface to write on and ensuring your pages are protected.

The inside covers also feature some handy information – a schedule table and a conversion chart for weights and measurements.

The book measures 9.8 by 7.5 inches, making it a great size to slip into your backpack or tote bag for school or work.

Pros

  • Simple design on the notebooks means that they will be suitable for anyone. They can easily be decorated with stickers if you choose.

  • Wide ruled pages allow for neat writing that can be easily spaced out

  • They come in a pack of 4 so you get lots of value for your money

  • It is portable to fit in most backpacks and tote bags so you can easily take it with you to work, school or college

  • Protective and firm front and back covers which make it easier to write on

  • Features andy information pages on the inside covers for timetabling and conversions

Cons

  • Some customers have found that sometimes the sheets of paper come loose

2. Mead’s Composition Notebook

Next up we have Mead’s Composition Notebook.

This review looks at a single notebook, however, Mead also offers the option for a pack of three notebooks, or even a pack of twelve if that’s what you want. Perfect for stocking up!

The notebook has 100 sheets of wide ruled paper. The pages are bound very securely with thread, attaching them and to the front and back covers.

The spine is also smooth so you do not need to worry about it snagging on your bag or your clothes.

We liked the fact that this notebook features a really handy information page on the inside back cover.

It has the multiplication chart in there, a conversion table, and even a list of grammar rules.

In the front, there is a table to write in your class schedule or timetable.

The notebook is available in five different colors, aloof them with a striking marble design.

We especially like the pink and green options. 

Pros

  • Lots of space to write due to its wide ruled pages

  • Securely bound with thread to ensure the pages stay in place

  • Five different colors to choose from, all of which have a striking marble design

  • A handy information area on the back with multiplication tables, conversions, and grammar

  • A timetable area at the front

Cons

  • Some customers have found the front and back covers too flimsy so they may not be suitable for someone looking for something more durable

3. Black n’ Red Casebound Hardcover Notebooks

Next on our list, we have the Casebound Hardcover Notebooks from Black n’ Red.

We loved these because of how sturdy they are!

The notebooks contain 96 sheets of paper, which translates to 192 pages in total of super high-quality writing space!

The paper is 90gsm, making it one of the most supreme paper weights that we have on the list.

The paper also resists bleeding too so you do not need to worry about ink spreading.

The paper is ruled, so it is perfect for writing notes, essays, and daily work at school.

The pages are a crisp, bright white, whereas the front and back covers are a textured matte black hardcover to ensure everything you write inside is safe and secure.

It uses artisan-style binding as the pages are sewn tightly to prevent pages from coming loose.

We really love how this notebook includes a red ribbon bookmark, too!

Pros

  • Looks very professional

  • Sturdy and durable hardcover for protection

  • High-quality paper that resists bleeding

  • A red ribbon bookmark to keep your page, and for an added air of sophistication

  • Well-bound pages for longevity

  • It comes in a pack of three so you can stock up

Cons

  • Not everyone will appreciate the hardcover. It may be less suitable for schools that ask for softer covers on the composition notebooks needed for study

4. AmazonBasics College Ruled Composition Notebook

Next up we have the second AmazonBasics product on the list.

This time we have their College Ruled Composition Notebooks.

This product has 100 sheets of paper inside each with a weight of 56gsm. They come in a pack of four with four different color choices.

You can get a marble patterned package in either black or colored, or you can get a solid back or solid colored version. This means there is something to suit everyone.

The fact that it is college-ruled means that it is perfect for note-taking due to it promoting legible and neat writing.

The front and back covers are made from sturdy cardstock material which gives you a firm surface to lean on when you write so you don’t need to worry about writing straight through the paper.

It uses sewn binding to keep all pages from getting loose.

On the inside covers, there is a handy section for a schedule, and at the back, there is a conversion chart for quick reference.

Pros

  • Perfect for college students

  • Packs of 4 to stock up for all of your college classes

  • Good quality paper

  • Spacious to write in

  • Reference pages for conversions and weights

  • Sturdy cardstock covering for front and back pages

Cons

  • Some customers have found the front and back covers pages a little too flimsy

  • It may not be suitable for gel pens as some customers have found that the paper bleeds

5. Mintra Office Composition Book

The last product on our list is by Mintra Office.

We loved this because of the hard, durable cover and the wonderful color choice.

It comes in packs of 3, 4, or even 24 if you were buying for a whole class, or if you had a number of classes to take notes for and projects to do.

The notebooks contain 80 pages of bright white paper, weighing 56gsm.

You can choose from either chipboard covers or poly covers, offering you extra protection than those notebooks that are made with cardstock covers.

They are sturdy but flexible, meaning you get the best of both worlds with them.

The binding of these notebooks is done with sewn thread, meaning you do not need to worry about pages coming loose.

As well as this, it is also super portable coming in at 7.5 by 9.75 inches.

Pros

  • Lots of color choice

  • Available in multipacks to stock up or for school classroom supplies

  • Good quality binding to keep the pages together

  • Sturdy front and back covers

  • Portable due to its easy-to-fit size

  • Other customers have said it is great for youngsters who are just practicing their writing

Cons

  • They are not suited for fountain pens, so may not be suited for everyone.

Best Composition Notebook Buyers’ Guide 

Color 

Consider whether you want your composition notebook to be colored or plain.

Lots of them are available with a vibrant pattern on the front, so decide whether this is something you would want.

You may have a specific color you need for school.

For example, many school districts specify that composition notebooks should be plain black.

You may also think about whether you will want to decorate it yourself with stickers or a protective film. In this case, a plain cover will be fine for you. 

Size 

Generally, composition notebooks are designed with portability in mind as they are most commonly used for school or college.

For this reason, the size generally seems to be similar between each product.

Consider the bag you will be using to carry your notebooks.

You will want to ensure that the notebook can fit in comfortably without getting crumpled or bent. 

Ruled sheets 

Some composition notebooks will have grid or graph paper inside instead of lined.

For writing purposes, you will want lined paper. For this reason, all of the products we have listed are ruled/ lined.

However, if this is not what you need, you will easily be able to select notebooks with grids or even blank pages.

Consider what you will be using your composition notebook for. Grids are great for maths, and blank pages are great for drawing or scrapbooking.

Lines are perfect for everything else. 

Front and back cover material 

 This is a super important consideration to make, especially if you will be taking your composition notebooks to and from your home to school each day.

You want the composition notebook to be able to withstand being in a full bag, as well as being protected from the rain should your bag get wet.

Most composition notebooks come with a durable cardstock front and back cover at the very minimum.

You may even want to look for hardback composition notebooks or those made from poly. You will find all of these options in our list above. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a composition notebook mean?

Don’t worry, it’s not a silly question.

A composition notebook is simply the name that is given to the sort of writing books that are used in schools and colleges for classwork and notetaking.

Typically students will have a different notebook for each class or subject. Sometimes they may even use a different notebook for each topic they study.

Typically they are bound together with thread sewn through the pages and feature a cardstock cover, or sometimes are even hardcover. 

Are composition notebooks good for college?

We definitely think composition notebooks are good for college. This is because you can easily dedicate one notebook to each class you take.

This is especially handy when you realize that usually, these notebooks come in multipacks.

They are simple to use, easy to carry, and can all be recycled super easily when they are finished with. 

Are composition notebooks better than spiral notebooks?

Composition notebooks tend to be smaller than spiral notebooks, making them a lot easier to carry around with you.

This is especially important if you need a composition notebook for each class you are taking or each school subject.

However, one is not really better than the other as it all depends on your personal news.

Some people may prefer spiral notebooks as they have more room for writing. It is a personal choice. 

Final word 

As you can see, there is so much choice out there when it comes to choosing yourself a good composition notebook.

We hope you have found one from our list above, or even been able to find one of your own using our very helpful Buyers’ Guide.